China to develop first 52 national-level zero-carbon industrial parks

China's National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) on Friday unveiled the country's first list of 52 national-level zero-carbon industrial parks to be built, aiming to foster green transformation hubs and supporting the country's efforts to reach its carbon peaking targets.

Zero-carbon industrial parks are designed to reduce carbon dioxide emissions from production and daily operations to near-zero levels through integrated planning, design, technology, and management. The parks are also expected to have the capacity to further achieve net-zero emissions.

"Despite the name of 'zero carbon,' the goal of zero-carbon industrial parks is not absolute zero emissions. The standard is to cut emissions to near-zero levels, about one-tenth of the current average carbon emissions per unit of energy consumption of the existing industrial parks. For parks with conditions and willingness, net-zero carbon can be achieved through mechanisms such as carbon offsetting," said Kang Yanbing, Deputy Director of the NDRC's National Energy Conservation Center.

Geographically, the first list of projects covers all 31 provincial-level regions in China, as well as the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps, ensuring that each region has at least one selected park.

"The 52 parks primarily focus on new energy industry clusters with low energy consumption, low pollution, and high added value, including new energy equipment manufacturing, advanced equipment manufacturing, and computing power centers. The emphasis is on using green energy to produce green products," said Li Zhong, Deputy Director of the NDRC's Energy Research Institute.

These parks will fully leverage local wind and solar resources and develop direct green power supply models tailored to local conditions. Directly-supplied green electricity must account for at least 50 percent of a park's total power consumption, supplemented by green electricity purchased through Green Electricity Certificates trading. Only those parks that pass official inspections following the completion of the construction period will be recognized as national-level zero-carbon industrial parks.

"Zero carbon is not a slogan. Parks must take concrete steps, such as facilitating direct green power supply and building energy storage infrastructure, to significantly raise the share of non-fossil energy consumption and address the bottleneck of renewable energy being generated but not fully utilized," said Kang.

China to develop first 52 national-level zero-carbon industrial parks

The prices of some life-saving medicines have soared to levels that are unaffordable for ordinary people in Venezuela, as the United States has ramped up military presence in the Caribbean off Venezuela's coast, alongside escalating sanctions, blockades and military threats against the oil-rich South American nation since late August.

At a northeastern suburb in the capital city Caracas, locals can still purchase most of the commonly used medicines at a major supermarket, where some antibiotics have been sold out, and some first-aid medicines and supplies have become too costly for ordinary residents.

"I'm here mainly to buy antibiotics. I have problems with my lungs. But I can't get all I want, such as vancomycin," said a resident named Alfonso.

"(Recent tensions have affected) the supplies and prices of drugs. The prices of cancer drugs, insulin drugs and albumin are very high, and most patients here cannot afford them," said Giovanna Gonzalez, a pharmacist with the supermarket.

Around 90 percent of the raw materials for drugs in Venezuela rely on imports, and the country's medical equipment such as monitors and anesthesia machines are almost entirely dependent on overseas supplies.

Main international airlines suspended flights to and from Venezuela in November, and U.S. blockades have delayed many cargo ships for a month, with some refusing to dock in Venezuela for safety concerns.

"Venezuela has been caught in the complex humanitarian emergency declared by the World Health Organization for about 10 years. If the suspension of flights persists, relevant international companies will have to choose more difficult or longer transportation routes, which will further push up the already high prices of medicines and medical equipment in Venezuela, and the patients will pay more money," said Huniades Urbina-Medina, president of the National Academy of Medicine of Venezuela.

Venezuela's medicine prices soar to unaffordable level amid US blockades